The first thing that sets The Shish Kabab House apart from the typical Mideastern restaurant is the ambiance. It consists of two small rooms, only eight tables, but the place has character.
There’s a collection of handsome hookahs (water pipes) on display, a reasonably subtle hint of incense, decorated mirrors on the cream-colored stucco walls and photos of Muhammad Ali dining in this very restaurant
The second, and more important, distinction is that the food has character as well: There’s flavor here, from hot pepper and other spices, and sometimes it’s vibrant. No one is likely to complain at the Shish Kabab House that the food all looks and tastes the same.
Nothing on the exterior indicates the elevated status of this place at South 63rd and Richmond Streets. It’s clearly a neighborhood in transition, with a taco stand, a pizzeria and a submarine shop in the same block.
The Adawi family has been in business here for 13 years, since immigrating from Jerusalem. Now the personable Jimmy, at 33 the youngest of five brothers, is in charge. He and his 24-year-old chef, Mohammad Abdelqader, who has worked here from his early teens, say they do family-style cooking learned from Jimmy’s parents, both of whom were cooks.
You realize the food is being prepared and seasoned with care as soon as you taste the smooth-textured hummus free of bits of chickpea. Baba ghanoujhas a delicious sweet accent, a combination of truly fresh eggplant and the chef’s light hand with the oil and tahini. A plate of salty and vinegar-dressed items–olives, beet juice-colored cabbage, pieces of carrot and celery–keeps the smooth dips from being too unctuous, while a chopped vegetable “Jerusalem” salad offers cooling yogurt and cucumber on one hand and green chili pepper and tart vinegar on the other.
All this appeared without our bidding as part of the “dinner.” An a la carte order of deep-fried, torpedo-shaped kibbe, containing lemon- and nutmeg-flavored ground lamb, was $3 for two.
Of our main course dishes, tender lamb shish kebab ($9.25) and a “butterfly” beef ($6.95; well-cooked, as the menu said it would be, and therefore somewhat dry) were accompanied by generous portions of rice pilaf garnished with pine nuts and almonds.
The kifta kebab ($7.95), aggressively seasoned with cumin, pepper and mint, was especially tasty. The other entree, a piece of lamb shoulder braised with chickpeas and spinach, pleased me, but the soft, melting texture of the spinach was a turnoff to my companions.
Lamb in other forms, with white beans or stuffed, for example, is a regular daily special.
Beverages include freshly squeezed orange and carrot juice and rich Turkish coffee. There is no liquor license but you may bring your own beer or wine.
The not-to-be-missed dessert here is a four-star “finger” baklava made by the chef’s wife, Sann. Perfectly semi-sweet and moist, it is memorable. A “bird’s nest” of phyllo filled with walnuts, pistachios and honey is very good too. The desserts, on view in a glass case as you enter, are 75 cents apiece.
Appetizers and large salads are $1.50 to $5.95, sandwiches are $1.95 to $3.25 and dinners (served all day long) are $6.95 to $9.25.
Catering anything from party trays to whole stuffed lambs is another facet of the operation.
The Shish Kabab House
(three forks)
2927 W. 63rd St.
312-737-2219
11 a.m. -10:30 p.m. Mon. – Sat.; 11 a.m. – 9p.m. Sun.
Wheelchair accessible
No credit cards
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RATINGS KEY: 4 forks: Top of the class 3 forks: Better than most 2 forks: Very good fare 1 fork: Middle of the road
